Electrowetting display devices are known. In an example of a known electrowetting display device, a first and a second fluid, immiscible with each other, are confined between a first support plate and a second support plate. The first fluid is confined in picture elements, i.e. pixels, of such a device by walls.
Displacement of the first and second support plates relative to each other may cause unwanted effects. For example, pressure exerted on the second support plate, for example by a finger, may cause the second support plate to move towards the first support plate. If the distance between the support plates becomes small enough, the first fluid will adhere to the second support plate. This may be referred to as a “lowered ceiling effect”. If a pressure pulse is exerted on the second support plate, a shock wave may be created, which may cause the first fluid to flow over a picture element wall. This may be referred to as a “tsunami effect”.
Spacers between the first and second support plates may be used to reduce the displacement of the first and second support plates relative to each other. However, they can be unreliable; for example, a spacer extending from the second support plate may not correctly align with part of the first support plate the spacer is intended to contact. Such misalignment can reduce the functionality of the spacer and therefore the robustness of the display device.
It is desirable to provide a more robust electrowetting display device, for example with a reduced susceptibility to the unwanted effects described above.